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Not best friends

Heat president Pat Riley didn't like Boston director of basketball operations Danny Ainge's suggestion that LeBron James quit complaining about his treatment by officials, as he did after Miami had its 27-game winning streak snapped at Chicago. "Danny Ainge needs to shut the [heck] up and manage his own team," Riley said in a statement released by the team. And I [bleeping] agree.

Keeping his talents

On the other hand, Riley's need to speak out on behalf of James after Ainge's comments should be considered the Heat's first salvo in the team's effort to re-sign LeBron. He can become a free agent after the 2013-14, season and there are plenty of teams that could be intriguing suitors to James. So let's all get used to it, because Miami's kiss-up-to-LeBron campaign has just started.

Quit apologizing

In Minnesota, Kobe Bryant hammers Ricky Rubio on a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but there's no call. A day later, the NBA issues a statement saying its official messed up. My advice to the league: Stop it. There are missed calls near the end of every close game. Quit apologizing, especially because it seems to happen only when a star player is involved. I'm sure Bryon Russell agrees.

Pushing their buttons

In case you missed it, Denver's 109-87 victory over Brooklyn on Friday night was its 18th straight at Pepsi Center, where the Nuggets are 33-3 this season. How did coach George Karl motivate his players? "I bribed them that they would get two days off," he told the Denver Post. "Players like playing time, money and days off. Those are the three things they enjoy getting rewarded [with]." Not best friends

Heat president Pat Riley didn't like Boston director of basketball operations Danny Ainge's suggestion that LeBron James quit complaining about his treatment by officials, as he did after Miami had its 27-game winning streak snapped at Chicago. "Danny Ainge needs to shut the [heck] up and manage his own team," Riley said in a statement released by the team. And I [bleeping] agree.

Keeping his talents

On the other hand, Riley's need to speak out on behalf of James after Ainge's comments should be considered the Heat's first salvo in the team's effort to re-sign LeBron. He can become a free agent after the 2013-14, season and there are plenty of teams that could be intriguing suitors to James. So let's all get used to it, because Miami's kiss-up-to-LeBron campaign has just started.

Quit apologizing

In Minnesota, Kobe Bryant hammers Ricky Rubio on a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but there's no call. A day later, the NBA issues a statement saying its official messed up. My advice to the league: Stop it. There are missed calls near the end of every close game. Quit apologizing, especially because it seems to happen only when a star player is involved. I'm sure Bryon Russell agrees.

Pushing their buttons

In case you missed it, Denver's 109-87 victory over Brooklyn on Friday night was its 18th straight at Pepsi Center, where the Nuggets are 33-3 this season. How did coach George Karl motivate his players? "I bribed them that they would get two days off," he told the Denver Post. "Players like playing time, money and days off. Those are the three things they enjoy getting rewarded [with]."